AR style vs bolt action

Groups like I posted are rare for me becuase the wind is usually howling here in southern Utah and I am always playing around with loads. I continually form these "what if" questions; i.e. a slightly faster powder or a if I increase my velocity another 100 fps, etc.
I agree that bolt guns are better for long range and are more consistant. ANd in fact, the thing I I dislike about my gas gun is the fact that it shoots best on the slow side using faster powders. And it seems to show pressure signs sooner than I would expect from a bolt gun, with primers extruding into the firing pin hole, and gouging the case head from the rotating bolt.

Bolt guns are more reloadable, reliable and accurate, but when firing at a 1000 yards I can pretty much send a follow up shot before the first one arrives on target.

The thing I love the most is when I run into people while hunting and they see my rifle. They always have a comment like 'Do you hunt with that?" or "Is that legal?" Often they think it is a .223 and they think I am psycho for hunting elk with it, but then I pull out a cartridge with a big ol' 200-210 grain bullet sticking out of it, they say "oh, wow."

DPMS stopped making the SAUM AR 10's. I think that says something. They are sticking to the 308 case now chambering in 243 260 308 6.5creadmore and 338 fed. I was at the range when one of their guys was testing a 7-08 and it was absolutely horrible. He was lucky to get 4" groups. He said they were working out some bugs... I'd say! I've heard that they are also having trouble with some of their 260's.

The Military does use some AR 10's but I believe their primary sniper rifles are still the rem 700 action based units and they also use a lot of m14's yet.

Seems the 14 is a much more sturdy platform for a good long range rifle.

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I used to re-load but now I "hand-load".
-- Well, at least I try --

just because the military is using it doesn't meen it is a good idea , their are to many people making decisions for our troops with consulting with them first and it has cost some of our guys their lives !!

The M110 SASS , thats the Army's newest sniper platform and its a decient weapon , not as accurate as the M24 bolt gun is but in the current theater the higher rate of fireis greatly taken over the long range precision accuracy of a bolt gun as most enguagments are under 500yds..

An AR can be made very accurate but its not cheap and the majority of the accuracy is the barrel and shooter